Adjustable stilts



Nov. 17, 1953 R, P, SKAGGS ET ,M v 2,659,087

ADJUSTABLE STILTS 2 sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 19, 1951 ADJUSTABLE STILTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 19 1951 Patented Nov. 17, 1953 ADJUSTABLE STILTS Robert?. Skaggs and Everett E. Skaggs, Phoenix, Ariz.

Application March 19, 1951, serial No. 216,356

s claims. (c1. 3 4) This invention relates to adjustable stilts.

The invention is more particularly concerned with vertically adjustable stilts for use by a workman in and about one-story buildings whereby his body is sufiiciently elevated for performance of this duties without need of the usual scaffolding for such purpose.

A primary objectvof the invention is to provide a pair of stilts adapted for secure and comfortable attachment to the legs of a wearer, and which embody adjustable supports with foot rests on the supports above the regions of adjustment thereof.'V

' A further object of the invention is to provide workmens body-elevating .stilts which are simple in construction, comfortable in use, and which are vertically adjustable for elevating the body of a workman to a position for eifective performance of this work.

A still further object of the invention is to provide workmens body-elevating stilts which embody an adjustable leg-engageable member having ground-engaging shoes and foot-engageable rests, and wherein the shoes and rests are provided with cushion members.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevational View of one of the stilts in accordance with one structural embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of one of the stilts.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in the plane of line 3-3 on Fig. 2. Y

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section in the plane of line 4--4 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section in the plane of line 5 5 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of a modied form of one of the stilts.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of one of the stilts as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view as observed from the top of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section in the plane yof line 9-9 on Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a top plan view of one of the shoesupporting brackets.

Referring now in detail to the drawings and rst to Figs. 1 to 5 thereof, each stilt comprises an elongated body support I0 which comprises a relatively long tubular member II and a shorter tubular member I2 having an outer diameter lsubstantially equal to the inner diameter of with a door or ground-engageable shoe which comprises a rectangular plate I5 rigidly secured to the lower end of the tubular member I2, and a rubber cap IS is disposed over the plate. The rubber cap I6 functions to absorb shocks upon walking movement of a Workman wearing the stilts.

'I'he tubular member I I is provided with an inverted L-shaped bracket II for supporting a foot rest. The foot rest comprises an elongated metallic plate I8 extending transversely of the horizontal leg I9 of the bracket and secured thereto as by means of a bolt 2li, and the plate projects on opposite sides of the leg I9, asis clearly shown in Fig. 1.

A rubber pad 2l is secured to the plate I8, as by means of adhesive. and functions to cushion a foot resting on the rest. The heel end of plate I8 is provided With an upstanding arcuate flange 22 provided with a pair of spaced diagonally disposed slots 23 through which is threaded an instep-engageable strap 24, which may be provided with suitable adjustable end-connecting means.

The plate I8 adjacent the toe end thereof is provided with a pair of depending stirrups 25, and a toe-engageable strap 26 has its intermediate portion disposed beneath the plate and extending through the stirrups.

Leg-engageable means are provided adjacent the upper end of tubular member Il, and such comprises a rectangular plate 2l to which is removably attached a leg-engageable foam rubber pad 28. A pair of leg-encircling straps 29 vand 30 have their intermediate portions disposed at the rear of plate 21 and through which extend bolts 3| whose heads are countersunk in the plate and whose shanks extend through the tubular member I In use, a workman will first adjust the tubular members I I and I2 for proper body elevation for any given Work condition. I-Ie will then place his feet on the pads 2| of the foot rests and'then secure the straps 24 and 2B, after Whichhe will secure the straps 29 and 30 about his legs.

The foam rubber pads 28 willprovide comfortable contact of the legs with the stilts, and

the cushions I6 and 2| will absorb shocks upon walking movement of the workman wearing the stilts.

It is to be noted that the foot rests are close to the supports l and that the ground-engageable shoes are.of relativelyL large area, whereby a Workman 'after 'a short period fof 'use of the stilts will be able to maintain his equilibrium with his entire attention directed toward his work.

In the modied embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 6 to 10, each stilt comprises a pair of supports 35, each of which Ece'ilfiprs'es a p relatively long major tubular member 38 a shorter tubular member '31 telescopingly Vengaged within the tubular member 3E.

The tubular members are provided with riorf.

Vmally alned'apertures 38 for receiving two or nere bolts 3'9 for effecting axial adjustment of thesiipprts 35.

The tubular members 3l are provided with iioo'r 'or ground-engageab-le shoes, `each of which comprises a 'generally rectangular plate At0, to the Abottm of which is secured, by means of bolts 18", la Ycushion pad '41. 'The plate 40 is ,rigidly secured in posit-in by -Ineans of a two-piece U- shaped bracket 42 whose legs 43 are secured to lthe inner sides of tubular members 31 by means o'f boltsf'.

A two=piece inverted "U-shaped bracket 45 is jdis'pos'ed between the tubular Ymembers 36, nand the depending legs "46 thereof are secured Vto the irmersides lof tubularmembers 36 by means of bolt"s4l.

Y A foot rest plate 48, of generally rectangular Vvform, issecuredl intermediate its -ends't'o the base pf'braeket 45 by means of -bolts 49, Vand the vplate "48 may be provided with'a cushion pad, as in the rst Aform of the invention.

`'Apair vof straps 50 and 5l have their ntermediate portions suitably secured to the lower Trace of plate 48,`and :such straps are adapted to engage the instep and toe :of the *foot -of a wearer.

y Ailk-pair. of 'relatively Awide leg-encircling straps 52"fan`d :53 'are disposed between ^the tubular "n'iembers 1"-36 fand are 'connected thereto by bolts 5554.

This `form iof'th'e :invention provides for great- 'er stability `o`f 'a 'workman using 'the stilts, -since tlie 5grouridengagin`g shoes, the foot'rests, and `tl'l'fe deg-securing straps are all disposed-between V*a pair-'fof supports.

While we have disclosed the "invention -in lac-l o'rdancewith 'certainfspecicstructurarembodiments thereof, such is Ato 'be5considered'as` illusftrative"on1y,'rand 4"not restrictivefthe scope of fthe 'invention "being dened in 'the following claims. K v Y l f vviifat we ciaim'ndoesire to secure by-U. s. lLetters Patents: A

l. VA stilt comprising anelongatedsupport, a

rectangular-flat ground-engageable shoe 'rigidll7 connected to yoneY end of the support, a cushion pad engaged with the lower face 'f the shoe Aand having-al rectangularat ground-engaging ia e, yan elongated 'foot-rest secured :to the support intermediate'its ends andsepa'rated from the `ground-"enga'geable shoe, 'a toe-engageable strap having its irit'ermediate "portion engaged with vthe foot-rest adjacent one end thereof, an y instep-engageable y strap having Aits "intermediate portioneriga'ged nwith the 'foot-rest fadj acent the bpposite end "therf, a pair' df 'vertically 'spaced leg-engageable straps adjacent the opposite end of said support and having their intermediate portions connected thereto, and an adjustable connection in the support between the ground-` engageable shoe and the foot-rest.

2. .A stilt comprising a support including arelatively long tubular member and a relatively' short tubular 'member adjustably telescopingly' engaged within one end fof the relatively long.- 'tubular member, one end of the short tubular' member projecting beyond the adjacent end of thedcng tubular member and having a groundengaging shoe rigidly supported thereby, a cush- :ion oad on vthe bottom face of said shoe, a bracket secured to the relatively long tubular' `member intermediate its ends, an elongated footrest iitending' transversely of the relatively long'. tubular member and having its intermediate portion secured to said bracket, toe and instep engageable straps connected tothe foot-rest and disposed on opposite sides of fthe relatively long tubular member, `a cushion pad "on said foot-rest, leg-engageable means adjacent the opposite end of said relatively long tubular member comprising a plate elongated lengthwise Vof said "support, a cushion pad removably attached to said plate, means securing said plate and 'pad 'tfo the relatively long tubular member, and 'a pair of -leg-engageable Ystraps in 'spaced `'relation lengthwise vof said relatively .long tubular 'memberand having intermediate portions thereof disposed between the plate andthe "relatively 'long tubular member. Y

Y 3. A stilt-comprisinga supportincludirig'a pair of first relatively long 'tubulaimembers, .a .pair of second relatively shorttubularmembersijtelescopingly engaged within corresponding 'ends of the rst tubular'memb'ers, nifrihlyspaced diametrically disposed apertures iin th'e walls of said first and secndftubular members for the removable reception of bolts for'h'olding 'the'.first and `second ftubular 'members 'in ai'iial adjusted relation, corresponding ends'f said ls`e'cn'd` tubular members projecting'beyond said 'corresponding ends pfV said iirst tubular members, brackets disposed between Tand yTsecire'd to "said correspending endslof'said second tubular members, a ground-'engag-'e'able 'shoe secured `t'o 'said :brackets, av cushion".p'adv supprt'ed 'onthe b'o'ttoi'n face of said shoe, a U ishapedfbrackt disposed between aiidseeufed to said .r'st'tubularfniem- `'bers intermediate their ends, an "elongatedi'oot- References' cite in the me of this .patent 'Unirse sfrAfrizs- PATENT-s Number p Name n Y Date 398,854V smith Mar,f`5, 1889 l 433,365 Pitman #July :29,"1'890 V1,078,962 Schmid Nov. fre, 1913 1,570,307 Kirby =Jan. `i9,`i926 l 2,057,013 punis 'oet. 113, 1936 A2,351,145 Y LPearson 'June 13,-"1944 y FQREIGN :PATENTS 

